Pringle of Scotland Spring Summer 2012

The undoubted kings of cashmere and knit, Pringle of Scotland, unveiled a contemporary collection for Spring Summer using graphic archive and vintage prints.

The two hundred year-old brand has recently welcomed a new head designer, Alistair Carr, who ventured back into the label’s history to look forward for SS’12.

Carr joined in March after a stint at Balenciaga and you can see utterances of his previous work for the Spanish brand in his Pringle collection. The beautiful textured Sixties knit lace dresses had sleek black leather sleeves which created the perfect juxtaposition of tough and feminine. Balenciaga for me – is all about softness with edge.

The look

Alistair Carr’s statement of intent began with his use of models, the ethereal Abbey Lee Kershaw opened up the show. She was wearing a luxe knit of which the background colour was grey, to breathe life into this classic piece the designer brightened it up with multicoloured geometric squares around the neckline.

Links and chains were the print du jour, seen on tops, dresses and granddad cardigans; and in an array of colours from black, bronze and a brilliant turquoise.

The pièce de résistance had to be the nonchalantly flirty, split back dresses and tops. Little buttons were done up at the nape of the neck, then the material curved down models backs revealing a flash of flesh. This look is guaranteed to bring us all out of hibernation next spring. I think we’ll see it cropping up on celebs (Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss and Kate Winslet) and on the High Street – our backs have never looked so good.

The people

If you can name them, they were there. Editors Anna Dello Russo in a super sexy green sequin mini, Eilidh MacAskill (editor of Instyle), Jo Elvin (Glamour ed), Trish Haplin (Marie Claire) were all cosying up. As for the celebs, Pringle ad-favourite Tilda Swinton was front row in a beautiful argyle jumper with skinny trousers and sky-high stilettos; as was Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright and actress Rosario Dawson in one of the amazing knit-lace and leather Pringle creations.

The item

The most lust-worthy item at the show for me had to be the eye-wear. These specs were a mixture of John Lennon-esque frames and swimming goggles – all in a bright and spring-like array of colours.